


Lost In Space And Time

by anysin



Category: Gravity Falls, Rick and Morty
Genre: Citadel of Ricks, Implied/Referenced Abuse, M/M, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2018-12-16
Packaged: 2019-09-20 04:34:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17015820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anysin/pseuds/anysin
Summary: Ford is approached by a Morty in need of help. Set of Ford/Morty ficlets.





	1. Savior's Dilemma

Ford is always nervous to visit the Citadel of the Ricks. He knows that he’s not truly welcome there: only Ricks and Morty are, and Ford is far beneath Beths and Summers when it comes to people who Ricks consider acceptable visitors. Whenever Ford is in the Citadel, he has to be on his toes and be ready to leave at moment’s notice; you never knew when the mercurial Ricks decided you weren’t worth their benevolence.

Ford must also never, ever talk to Mortys.

Most of the time, it’s easy enough. Mortys have little to no interest in any visitors, unless they have goods or services to sell; if they approach Ford for other reasons, it’s always a bad sign. Fortunately, Mortys who aren’t trying to be charming are easily recognizable, so in nine out of ten times, Ford is able to evade them if they try to get close to him. If the tenth reaches him, he has no choice but to submit to an assault.

“Oh man, y-y-you’ve got to help me-”

They look so  _pitiful_  when they come up to him, all short and scrawny and grasping the sleeve of his coat lightly like they don’t really want to bother him. It’s an act, all of it; Mortys may not be Ricks, but they can hold their own, especially if one has made it to the Citadel. Almost always, they make a two-handed grab for Ford’s arm if he tries to walk away from them after that first tentative contact.

“I-i-i-it’s Rick, I can’t take it anymore! Please get me out of here, I promise I’ll make it up to you-”

Ford never doubts that Rick has done something to upset a Morty who comes to him like this. Now, how serious that thing is, that’s another question: there are some sensitive Mortys out there as well as easily angered ones. On the other hand, Ricks are callous at best and utterly reprehensible at worst; if a Morty wants to get away from his Rick, Ford can’t ignore the likelihood that he has very good, heavy reasons to feel that way.

But here is the thing he knows about Ricks: they absolutely  _hate_  it if outsiders get between them and their Mortys.

And Ford doesn’t afford to lose the alliance of any Rick, not in this multiverse. Not when Bill is still out there, undefeated, a danger. Ford has to think about the greater good rather than needs of one. He has to look, turn away.

“P-please, man.” The bodies of the Mortys always give up before their minds do, their fingers loosening their hold on Ford’s arm. This is the part when Ford should be pulling himself free for good, walking off.

“Please.”

He should be going already.


	2. Good Intentions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ford and Morty get away from the Citadel.

First, the Morty can’t stop babbling with gratitude.

“Y-y-y-y-y-you have no i-i-idea how much this m-m-means to me, thank you s-s-s-so much-”

He gets himself under control rather fast, however. He and Ford walk briskly and quietly along the streets of the Citadel, towards the wormhole that non-Ricks and non-Mortys use for entering the place. Ford is sure they both expect to be caught any moment now. When they actually make it to the wormhole, Ford is very surprised.

“I-I-I can’t believe it,” Morty says, too. 

Then, he takes Ford by the hand.

Ford doesn’t know what to think about that, but they step into the wormhole together.

*

The next dimension they enter is an alien one, one that Ford has visited a couple of times before. He still has some currency of the place left, so they are able to get a cheap motel room in the city they arrive to. Once they settle down, he makes the Morty sit down for a talk.

“I’ll be honest,” he says. “I have no idea how to find your original dimension.”

Morty flinches, but he doesn’t really look surprised. “That’s what I thought.”

“I think what we can do is to find a benevolent Rick to help you.” Morty snorts at the comment, which also isn’t surprising; most Ricks are unpleasant creatures. “They are rare, but they’re out there. I think some neutral ones would be willing to help you too.”

Morty snorts again. “Ricks are Ricks,” he says. “They won’t mess with other Ricks, especially when it comes to their Mortys.” Morty sighs, looking down at his lap. “I- I don’t think this was a g-g-good idea.”

That’s what Ford has been thinking all this time.

However, once he sees Morty’s face fall, his eyes lose their tentative hope, he can’t stand it. “We may have better luck with Summers,” he says. “I’ve seen some out there too. We could at least ask them if they have any ideas.”

Morty doesn’t look up immediately, but in the end he does, looking at Ford with huge, doubtful eyes. A small smile tugs at the corner of his mouth, his eyes softening as he lets the smile spread on his lips.

“Maybe,” he says.

*

When it’s time to go to sleep, it’s obvious how they’re going to do it.

“You get the bed,” Ford says. “I can sleep on the floor, I’m used to it.”

Morty rolls his eyes. “D-dude, I’m a Morty. I’m used to discomfort too.” Still, he sits on the bed and starts to kick his shoes off, eyeing Ford. “You can sleep next to me, you know.”

Ford tenses at the suggestion.

“Are you sure about that? I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“C'mon, I wouldn’t have asked if it did.” Morty climbs up on the bed, settling down on his side. “You don’t have to be all stoic about it, you know?”

Ford hesitates still, watching as Morty closes his eyes. After a while, he walks over to the bed and sits down on the edge of it, starting to take his boots off. This could be a bad idea, especially if a group of Ricks barge in on them all of the sudden, but Ford is tired and he can’t deny it, he likes the idea of sleeping in a bed for a change. It’s been a while since he has been in one.

He stretches down next to Morty, preparing to turn his back on him.

Morty rolls over, slinging his arm over Ford’s chest so he can cuddle up tight against Ford’s side.

“I don’t want to feel alone tonight,” Morty whispers.

Ford has many good reasons to push him away.

He lies still on his back, allowing Morty to hold onto him.


End file.
